Igor Jesus: Who is Brazilian Club World Cup star and Nottingham Forest ‘target’?

Jesus got his nickname ‘Sapinho’, meaning Little Frog, from his grandfather when he was a child. Depending on who you ask,, external it’s either because he made acrobatic saves as a goalkeeper, or because he had a very small body and a very big head.

He would also occasionally skip school to watch Japanese cartoon Dragon Ball Z.

In the show, protagonist Goku defeats baddies with a special move called Kamehameha which Jesus honours with his usual celebration of putting his wrists together, opening his palms and locking his arms out perpendicularly in front of him.

He’s had a lot of chances to perfect it. In 206 professional appearances he’s netted 70 goals.

Jesus started his career at Coritiba, a then Serie-B side based in Brazil’s eighth largest city.

As an 18-year-old he scored three goals in 24 appearances to help Coritiba secure promotion.

But, after initially struggling at a higher level, he left midway through the following campaign to join Emirati side Shabab Al-Ahli.

He spent four seasons in the Middle East, scoring 46 goals in 92 games, before returning to Brazil by joining Botafogo in July 2024.

There he’s excelled. He led the line as his side lifted the Serie A and Copa Libertadores titles last season.

Unsurprisingly, the scouting departments at numerous club around the world are on high alert.

Jesus even made his Brazil debut last October, scoring in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying win in difficult conditions in Chile.

South American football expert Tim Vickery called him, external “the modern-day Drogba” after his goal against PSG, a side who had thrashed Inter Milan in the Champions League final just 20 days before.